Taunton falls to Middleboro in EFL Championship

The Cobras knocked off last year's title holder, the Taunton Gladiators, 20-9, at Taunton High School on Sunday night.

By TOM HINKLEY

The Taunton Daily Gazette, Taunton, MA

By TOM HINKLEY

Posted Oct. 17, 2011 at 12:01 AM
Updated Oct 17, 2011 at 5:03 PM

By TOM HINKLEY

Posted Oct. 17, 2011 at 12:01 AM
Updated Oct 17, 2011 at 5:03 PM

Taunton

» Social News

Defense wins championships. It is quickly becoming the most over-used cliché in all of sports, but there is an element of truth to it, just ask the Middleboro Cobras.

The Cobras rode is defense to a 20-9 win in the Eastern Football League championship game over the Taunton Gladiators. The ECL Championship crown was Middleboro’s first title since 2008.

“I’ll take that defense and put them up against any team,” said Middleboro coach Dave Goldman. “I’d be fine with that matchup.”

Middleboro held the Gladiators, who were the defending champions, without a touchdown until the fourth quarter when the game was already out of reach. The Cobras sacked Taunton quarterback James Yaitanes six times, blocked a field goal and an extra point, and picked off two passes, including one for a touchdown.

“They have a great defense over there,” said Taunton coach Paul Fossetti. “They’ve had one all year and they showed us that tonight.”

While the Middleboro defense is what ultimately stole the show, it was its offense that granted the team some breathing room.

On Middleboro’s first possession of the game, quarterback John Speidel dropped back and launched a ball downfield in the direction of wide receiver Alex Smith. A Gladiator defender appeared to be running with Smith step-for-step, but the defender miss-timed his jump and the ball sailed over his outstretched arms and into the hands of Smith, who maintained his balance and jogged into the end zone.

“That’s been our offense all year,” admitted Goldman. “It’s struggled at times, but it made plays when it had to. John is a heck of a quarterback. When you have a quarterback like that you have to just let him loose and have him make plays for you.”

After missing the extra point, the Cobra’s held a 6-0 lead, and saw that lead get cut in half later in the first quarter on a 31-yard field goal by John Carpenter.

The Cobra defense set up Middleboro for its second touchdown of the game when Rashawn Jones intercepted a pass on the Taunton side of the field with less than two minutes remaining in the first half. Middleboro took advantage of its good field position and scored six plays later when Speidel scored on a 9-yard touchdown run with just four seconds remaining in the first half.

“That was huge,” said Goldman. “It was a close game at that point and they were getting the ball at the half, so to be able to give ourselves a cushion before halftime was huge for us.”

Taunton may have gotten the ball to start the second half, but it was Middleboro that would find the scoreboard just a few seconds into the half.

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On the third play of the third quarter, Yaitanes dropped back to pass on third-and-long and tried to hit a receiver on a deep out. Jones undercut the rout and picked off the pass at the 40-yard line. Jones made a few Gladiators miss on his trip down the sidelines before cutting back toward the middle of the field and finding the end zone.

“He (Jones) actually made a mistake on that play,” laughed Goldman. “He was supposed to blitz but I guess he didn’t get the call, but it’s ok. He’s just so talented that he can get away with that kind of stuff sometimes.”

After grabbing a 20-3 lead, Middleboro began to milk time off the clock with a strong running game, Lamont Penn and John Santos continued to pick up first downs for the Cobras and the defense continued to keep Taunton off the scoreboard.

The Gladiators finally put the ball in the end zone when Yaitanes floated the ball up towards 6-foot-five inch receiver Jordan McMichael, who out-jumped a pair of Middleboro defenders to come away with an 18-yard touchdown catch.

On Middleboro’s ensuing possession, the Cobra’s had a 48-yard touchdown reception called back due to unsportsmanlike conduct, and had another 9-yard touchdown run called back due to a holding call. In fact, Middleboro was flagged on five consecutive plays.

Despite the flags and missed opportunities, Middleboro still ran out the clock and wrapped up its first championship since 2008.

“It feels great,” said Goldman. “It feels great. These guys worked so hard and they were a great group to coach. Cobra pride is back and hopefully it’s here to stay.”